Water, water, water

I love water, water for drinking. I am spoiled to live in a country where the tap water is great for drinking, just like it is in Sweden, where I come from. But here in Germany they stare at me as if I am from outer space when I ask about tap water... And you HAVE to specify "Leidungswasser" - tap water - or you will get a bottle of mineral water, preferably carbonated. Almost all the mineral water in Germany is carbonate, I have found. We have had many discussions in our little group here about it. Don't know why the Germans prefer bubbles, but they seem to do.

And they seem to be very keen on bottled water and a bit afraid of tap water, although test after test show that the tap water is as good or better than the bottled water in this part of the world - especially since the bottled water is sometimes stored for long periods.

Personally I normally can't really feel the difference between bottled water without bubbles and tap water, and why would I go for bottled water which isn't better than the tap water, costs a lot more money, and also is bad for the environment (due to the transports)? Germany has some bottled waters that I just despise though. Some with strange and horrible taste, taste is a bit unfresh. Guess it may be the minerals in them. I don't care if the restaurant is going to charge me a fortune, I am NOT going to finish that water (of course no names but don't bring me the water that shares the first part of the name with the name of US rockets going to the moon... It is HORRIBLE)

It is fun to see the looks on the faces of some people when I ask for tap water. The waiters in some places staaare at me, wrinkles their noses, and says "You can't drink tap water here"... I somehow always manages to convince them that one can. In Belgium I have been refused though...